Indian and American Scholars Should Play a Positive Role in Maintaining Peace

China’s defense policy is intended to safeguard and promote the peace and stability of the international community. Conversely, the suggestion that the U.S., Japan, and India collaborate to constrain China’s rise, as some Indian and American scholars made at the conference, is negative to the security of the Asia-Pacific region.

by
Pan Heping

March 17, 2017

January 11, 2017: China's State Council Information Office issues a white paper on China's policies on Asia-Pacific security cooperation. Xinhua

Indian and American Scholars Should Play a Positive Role in Maintaining Peace

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As China’s overall national strength grows, it is gaining increasing influence in the Asia-Pacific region and even the whole world. Some scholars from Indian and American think tanks have made up another “China threat theory”, encouraging cooperation among the U.S., Japan, and India to counter the so-called “threat” posed by a rising China.

In order to judge whether a country poses a threat to another, two aspects should be considered: One is its strength, and the other is its intention. A country without bad intentions won’t pose threats to other countries, no matter how powerful it is.

The fact is that although China’s strength is growing, it has no intention of threatening any country. So, it is nonsense to say that China poses a threat to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Some remarks made by Indian and American scholars at a conference in Washington D.C. display their ignorance of the actual situation and wrong judgments about China’s development, and will exert a negative influence on the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region.

China’s white papers on national defense have clearly elaborated its defense policies and stance. The Chinese government has repeatedly assured the international community that it sticks to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, which means that its defense policy is absolutely different from the offensive policies of hegemonic powers. China’s defense policy is intended to safeguard and promote the peace and stability of the international community. Conversely, the suggestion that the U.S., Japan, and India collaborate to constrain China’s rise, as some Indian and American scholars made at the conference, is negative to the security of the Asia-Pacific region. It is also an irresponsible opinion based on Cold War thinking. The overwhelming trajectory of global development is one of peace and cooperation. Indian and American scholars should make their own contributions to world peace and stability.